Digital Commons Network^™

Smart Laboratory Instrument Control Framework, Kevin Scott Kennedy

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The collection of experimental results in power electronic research requires the coordination of a wide variety of laboratory instrument. Depending on the type of results required, each data point can take a few minutes to collect. This process becomes time consuming when a large number of data points is needed and detracts from long-term research objectives. While there are industry standards that specify communication with these devices, many equipment vendors elect not to follow the standards and use their own protocols for communication. This project provides a framework for developing a smart and connected lab. This includes hardware and software …

Women-Owned Business Branding: Consumer Behavior Based On Hedonic Vs. Utilitarian Positioning, Gracie Leeann Arnold

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Similar to the "country of origin" effect, branding a business with a specific ownership may have an effect on consumer purchasing behavior; but, as this trend grows so does the amount of research on how this effect is manifested. Large, powerful companies like Wal-Mart, Ex-IM Bank, and Toyota have recently launched initiatives to promote women-owned business enterprises by targeting women-owned suppliers. Women-owned business have seen unprecedented growth and market share in the past decade. In response, Wal-Mart has pledged to source $20 billion in goods from women-owned businesses by 2016. Wal-Mart began using the "Women-Owned" business logo (WOB) that was …

Bringing The Best Of Business To School Administration, Michael Antony De Filippis

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The disciplines of business and school administration are recognized as distinct and separate in purpose, product, and operation. While fundamental differences do exist between the two, school administrators have a need for application of business principles in order to manage an educational institution. Schools are, at their foundation, organizations relying on effective management, budgeting, public relations, value creation, etc. Despite this need, school administrators often come from backgrounds in teaching rather than management.

Research was conducted from secondary sources and personal interviews with teachers, university professors, and school administrators to examine the similarities between administration in business and schools. The …

Wickiup Site Structure: A Comparison Of Aboriginal Wooden Features From The Great Basin And Colorado Plateau, Brandi Jensen Allred

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Throughout all of human history, people have built shelters for themselves whenever they stop for more than a few minutes. Many of these structures, built from wood and brush, are today colloquially known as wickiups. Wickiups are temporary housing structures, but were sometimes used for longer duration or even winter stays. In the Great Basin and surrounding montane West, we have a surprising amount of still standing wickiups. These have yet to fall to time's ravages and were initially built within the last several hundred years. Older sites, those around the world and deep into time, no longer have the …

Ethnic Minority High School Students: Academic Self-Efficacy And College Preparedness, Melanie Ann Faustino Hansen

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

In an effort to better understand high school student's academic self-efficacy and college preparedness, 165 students were surveyed at the Utah State University event Diversity Day held on November 21st, 2014. As such, we collaborated with the Utah State University Admissions office so that all evaluation materials and results could be used for future recruitment purposes. Students were asked questions designated to gain insight into the factors they determined to be important when choosing to attend college, selecting a college to attend, and how prepared they viewed themselves to succeed in college. In addition, basic measures were also taken that …

Bella Abzug, Queer Rights, And Disrupting The Status Quo, Trevor G. Gates, Margery C. Saunders

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Workers who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ)-identified have always been a part of the workplace in the United States, yet there has been a lack of awareness about how to advocate for the needs of these people. This lack of awareness was challenged by Congresswoman Bella Abzug. Abzug’s campaign for creating an equal working environment for sexual minorities initiated gradual changes in the public discourse concerning workplace and other broad equality measures for these communities. To frame these gradual transformations within a historical context, we use Lewin’s force field analysis framework to examine the change efforts of …

A Survey Of Security And Privacy Challenges In Cloud Computing: Solutions And Future Directions, Yuhong Liu, Yan Sun, Jungwoo Ryoo, Syed Rizvi, Athanasios V. Vasilakos

Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

While cloud computing is gaining popularity, diverse security and privacy issues are emerging that hinder the rapid adoption of this new computing paradigm. And the development of defensive solutions is lagging behind. To ensure a secure and trustworthy cloud environment it is essential to identify the limitations of existing solutions and envision directions for future research. In this paper, we have surveyed critical security and privacy challenges in cloud computing, categorized diverse existing solutions, compared their strengths and limitations, and envisioned future research directions.

Theorizing Precedent In International Law, Harlan G. Cohen

Scholarly Works

Precedent presents a puzzle for international law. As a matter of doctrine, judicial decisions construing international law are not-in-and-of themselves law. They are not binding on future parties in future cases, even before the same tribunal. And yet, international precedent is everywhere. From international investment to international criminal law to international human rights to international trade, prior decisions are invoked, argued over, and applied as precedents by practitioners and by tribunals.

How and why do certain interpretations of international law take on the weight of precedent, reshaping international law arguments around them, while others do not? This chapter develops a …

Andrew B. Arnold's Fueling The Gilded Age: Railroads, Miners, And Disorder In Pennsylvania Coal Country, Laura Phillips Sawyer

Scholarly Works

Andrew Arnold’s Fueling the Gilded Age explores the struggles for managerial control and economic power that erupted among coal miners, coal operators, and railroad executives in central Pennsylvania between 1872 and 1902. Rather than presenting an unassailable triumph of the railroads’ interests over labor, Arnold argues that the “coal industry defied order” (p. 3) and laborers exhibited “unexpected agency ” (p. 4, emphasis in original) by thwarting the plans of railroad executives to impose managerial capitalism from the top down. Instead, wage earners “refused to accept their designated fate as commodities” (p. 222) and thereby exerted influence on the institutional …

2015 Northwest Arkansas Point-In-Time Homeless Census, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Stephanie Collier

Homelessness

2015 Northwest Arkansas Point-in-Time Homeless Census General Information

Up From Sea And Earth: Revelation 13:1, 11 In Context, Hugo Antonio Cotro

Dissertations

The wide spectrum of usually unreconcilable ways sea and earth have been interpreted in Revelation 13: 1 and 11, as chapter 2 exposes, prompts questions such as What did John mean in Rev 13:1, 11 by coming up from the sea and the earth or land? What could his original addressees have understood when they heard it for the first time? These are the basic questions this dissertation aims to answer through a reconstruction of the original context shared by John and his first-century Asian audience, and, in that light, of the sources he most probably used to paint his …

Marital Expectation Fulfillment And Its Relationship To Height Of Marital Expectations, Optimism, And Relationship Self-Efficacy Among Married Individuals, Kristina D. Johnson

Dissertations

Problem

The literature is clear that individuals report higher marital satisfaction when their expectations are fulfilled in marriage, but there is disagreement in the literature as to what role height of expectations plays in expectation fulfillment. Further research in this area was needed to clarify these disagreements and identify variables that interact with height of expectations to determine marital satisfaction.

Method

Participants completed surveys that measured their a) martial satisfaction, b) optimism, c) relationship self-efficacy, d) height of marital expectations, and e) the extent to which participants felt their marital expectations were being met. Structural equation modeling was used to …

Attitude, Subjective Norm, And Perceived Behavioral Control As Indicators For Nurse Educators’ Intention To Use Critical Thinking Teaching Strategies: A Structural Equation Model Analysis, Angerlita Yolanda Smith

Dissertations

Problem

Deficiencies in new nursing graduates’ ability to use critical thinking skills have been documented. Researchers have found that the continued use of traditional teaching methods and less student-centered approaches for critical thinking development has contributed to this problem. This particular issue has evoked much concern for institutions and organizations involved with the safe delivery of patient care. The purpose of this study was to examine (a) the relationship between the factors educator characteristics, attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control in a hypothesized model that may influence nurse educators’ intention to use instructional methods that promote critical thinking in …

A Structural Equation Model Of The Influence Of Personal, Behavioral, And Environmental Factors On The Writing Performance Of First-Year Students At A Selected Michigan Community College, Thula I. Norton Lambert

Dissertations

Problem.

While previous writing performance studies have examined a range of motivational variables such as self-efficacy or writing apprehension, certain contextual variables and variables related to current writing pedagogy and practice have not been included, which has resulted in gaps in the research literature.

Method.

A non-experimental, correlational, cross-sectional, ex post facto, survey research design was used to examine the personal, behavioral, and environmental factors that had been identified as being of potential influence to students’ writing performance. A census was conducted among the 233 students enrolled in English Composition on the two campuses of a small two-year college in …

The Function Of 'Hope' As A Lexical And Theological Keyword In The Psalter: A Structural-Theological Study Of Five Psalms (Pss 42-43, 52, 62, 69, 71) Within Their Final Shape Context (Pss 42-72), Christine Maria Vetne

Dissertations

The shape and message of the Psalter has been of central interest for many Old Testament scholars during the last thirty years. At the core of shape scholarship stands the issue of hope. Often this is related to what is commonly considered a major hope-shift in the Psalter, which moves its focus from hoping in the Davidic covenant (Books I-III) to hoping in God (Books IV-V). However, when considering the shape and message of Book II, there is evidence that these two hopes coexist, side by side, as also seen in the introduction to the Psalter (Ps 2).

This dissertation …

A Study On The Influence Of Philosophical Presuppositions Relating To The Notion Of The God-Human Relation Upon The Interpretation Of Exodus, Tiago Arrais

Dissertations

Abstract

No exegesis or act of interpretation is presuppositionless. Accordingly, this study addresses the question of the influence of philosophical presuppositions upon the interpretation of the God-human relation in Exodus.

Chapter 1 provides a brief introduction to why such analysis is necessary. The chapter explores the neglected issue of presuppositions in exegesis and why Exodus is an appropriate platform upon which to evaluate them. This introductory chapter also presents the purpose and methodological approach of this study, namely, the descriptive analysis of the text.

Chapter 2 addresses the philosophical issues behind the conception of the God-human relation, namely the notion …

Gnss Spoof Detection Based On Pseudoranges From Multiple Receivers, David S. Radin, Peter F. Swaszek, Kelly C. Seals, Richard J. Hartnett

Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

Spoofing is the common term used for describing the intentional broadcasting of false radio frequency signals intended to disrupt and mislead systems that depend on accurate position, navigation, and timing information provided by Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Spoofing is an increasingly recognized threat garnering increased interest from researchers and users, both military and civilian. This paper presents a GNSS spoof detection algorithm that exploits the geometric distribution of a horizontal array of GNSS receiver antennae and the geometric configuration of visible navigation satellites. Using a Neyman-Pearson hypothesis testing formulation, a spatial correlation test is developed that can accurately and …

Some Problems In The Representation Theory Of Simple Modular Lie Algebras, Georgia Benkart, Jorg Feldvoss

University Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Children With Sli Exhibit Delays Resolving Ambiguous Reference, Julie M. Estis, Brenda L. Beverly

University Faculty and Staff Publications

Fast mapping weaknesses in children with specific language impairment (SLI) may be explained by differences in disambiguation, mapping an unknown word to an unnamed object. The impact of language ability and linguistic stimulus on disambiguation was investigated. Sixteen children with SLI (8 preschool, 8 school-age) and sixteen typically developing age-matched children selected referents given familiar and unfamiliar object pairs in three ambiguous conditions: phonologically distinct word (PD), phonologically similar word (PS), no word (NW). Preschoolers with SLI did not disambiguate, unlike typically developing age-matched participants, who consistently selected unfamiliar objects given PD. School-age children with SLI disambiguated given PD. Delays …

Leading Change In The System Of Scholarly Communication: A Case Study Of Engaging Liaison Librarians For Outreach To Faculty, Kara Josephine Malenfant

Student Articles, Chapters, Presentations, Learning Objects

This narrative, single-case study examines how liaison librarians at the University of Minnesota (UMN) came to include advocating for reform of the scholarly communication system among their core responsibilities. While other libraries may hire a coordinator or rely on a committee to undertake outreach programs, UMN has defined baseline expertise in scholarly communication for all librarians who serve as liaisons to disciplinary faculty members. By “mainstreaming” scholarly communication duties, UMN is declaring these issues central to the profession.1 This intrinsic study uses evidence gathered from open-ended interviews with three participants, supplemented by documentation. It explores the context of these changes, …

An Extensible And Successful Method Of Identifying Collaborators For National Library Of Medicine Informationist Projects, Jeff D. Williams

Student Articles, Chapters, Presentations, Learning Objects

Question/Purpose: The New York University (NYU) Health Sciences Library used a new method to arrange in-depth discussions with basic science researchers. The objective was to identify collaborators for a new National Library of Medicine administrative supplement. Setting: The research took place at the NYU Health Sciences Library. Methods: Using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) RePORTER, forty-four researchers were identified and later contacted through individualized emails. Results: Nine researchers responded to the email followed by six in-person or phone discussions. At the conclusion of this process, two researchers submitted applications for supplemental funding, and both of these applications were successful. …

The Race Controversy In Amerian Education, Lillian Dowdell Drakeford

Student Book Gallery

From the Publisher:

"In this unique two-volume work, expert scholars and practitioners examine race and racism in public education, tackling controversial educational issues such as the school-to-prison pipeline, charter schools, school funding, affirmative action, and racialized curircula."

From the AU Library:

This title is available in ebook format for Antioch University Library Patrons. Permalink for this ebook: AueID login required http://antioch.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1022569&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Table of Contents attached below

About the Editor:

This 2-volume book from the Praeger series, Racism in American Institutions, is edited by Dr. Lillian Dowdell Drakeford, a 2010 graduate of the PhD Program in Leadership and Change at …

Prevention Of Icu Delirium Through Implementation Of A Sleep Promotion Bundle, Victoria Bennett

Master's Theses and Capstones

Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) delirium is the prevalence of delirium in ICU patientswho do not have a history of drug/alcohol abuse, an admission for a mental status change, or anadmission to the ICU for less than 24 hours. Serious adverse outcomes have been linked to thepresence of ICU delirium resulting in overall longer hospital lengths of stay, longer duration ofmechanical ventilation, higher rates of mortality, and long-term neuropsychological deficits afterdischarge. At the site of this quality improvement project, the prevalence of ICU delirium was92.3% in a population determined to be high risk using the PRE-DELIRIC screening tool. Aim: The …

Be Seen And Heard Being Clean: A Patient-Centered Approach To Hand Hygiene At Concord Hospital, Ashley Pinkham

Master's Theses and Capstones

Background: Regular hand washing is recognized as the most effective means to combat the spread of infectious illness; however hand washing behavior amongst health care workers (HCW’s) is inconsistent. Furthermore, measurement of hand washing behavior is subject to bias.

Aim: This quality improvement project aimed to remove the Hawthorne effect and improve the behavior of HH at Concord Hospital.

Methods: A quasi-experimental, pre-posttest design was used to evaluate HH rates on a 32 bed med-surge unit at Concord Hospital. Baseline data was collected for 30 days by asking patients if they had seen or heard staff cleaning their hands. Using …

City Profile Of Richmond, Julian Maxwell Hayter

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

Cities are never blank slates. Every urban ranking and rating begs acknowledgement of lasting cultural legacies and histories. It is essential that any quantitative assessment not stand outside of context. At stake is the difference between possessing sheer quantities of information, on the one hand, and quality knowledge, or wisdom, on the other. In order to put data into a context for wise action, Thriving Cities has created distinct city profiles for its pilot cities.

These profiles are central in that they characterize a given pilot city in relation to the Project's distinctive "human ecology" framework and research design. In …

Review Of Sovereign Defaults Before International Courts And Tribunals, John A. E. Pottow, Emily Iversen

Reviews

This book review probes Michael Waibel’s new book, Sovereign Defaults Before International Courts and Tribunals. Waibel's project is ambitious, exploring international attempts to address sovereign defaults over the past century and a half. Through painstaking and comprehensive historical analysis, Waibel shows how we've been here before -- a sober reminder for those thinking Argentina is simply part of a new fad in financial default. With the UN now turning its attention to sovereign debt issues, this study is especially timely. Although somewhat disappointing in the lightness of its normative content, the book should nevertheless prove helpful to those considering the …

Ethical Decision Making And Leadership: Merging Social Role And Self-Construal Perspectives, Crystal L. Hoyt, Terry L. Price

Jepson School of Leadership Studies articles, book chapters and other publications

This research extends our understanding of ethical decision making on the part of leaders by merging social role and self-construal perspectives. Interdependent self-construal is generally seen as enhancing concern for justice and moral values. Across two studies we tested the prediction that non-leading group members’ interdependent self-construal would be associated with lower levels of unethical decision making on behalf of their group but that, in contrast, this relationship would be weaker for leaders, given their social role. These predictions were experimentally tested by assigning participants to the role of leader or non-leading group member and assessing the association between their …

Development Of 3-D Shear Wave Models Using A Multi-Objective Optimization Scheme, Lennox Emmanuel Thompson

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Evidence of geologic activity still occurring in Rio Grande Rift (RGR) includes quaternary faulting, seismicity, and widening at a small rate. We map the crustal thickness and seismic velocity ratio to create crustal model cross sections that highlights the regional extension of the Southern Rio Grande Rift (SRGR). Specifically, we compute receiver functions and receiver function stacks for 147 USArray and previously collected data, and interpolate the crustal and velocity results using a kriging interpolation scheme. By incorporating gravity, magnetics, receiver functions, velocity models, and the interpretation of seismic reflection/refraction data, we produce a constrained crustal model that characterizes the …

Youth Digital Cultural Consumption And Education, Monica Pini, Sandra I. Musanti, Teresa Cerratto Pargma

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

Media and technological devices function as socializing agents during children’s leisure and entertainment time. Drawing from the theory of cultural consumption, a socio educational approach to students’ digital practices, and media literacy, this qualitative study seeks to explore and describe students’ cultural consumption profile. The authors explore the representations and meanings of digital practices of public school students of a predominately working class neighborhood situated in the periphery of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Findings highlight different aspects of youth cultural consumption profile. Two themes were identified: a) children use computers for a multiplicity of different activities enacting multitasking practices; and b) …

Classroom Labels That Young Children Can Use: Enhancing Biliteracy Development In A Dual Language Classroom, Irasema Salinas-González, Iliana Alanis, María G. Arreguín-Anderson

Human Development and School Services Faculty Publications

This article focuses on biliteracy development of English and Spanish through the practical strategy of systematically labeling the classroom within the context of daily classroom activities and providing children with various opportunities to use the words throughout the day. Using the foundational work related to classroom labels from Pinnell and Fountas (1998, 2010), the authors adopt a definition indicating that a label consists of one or a few words on a card placed on or below an object or a spot in the classroom. Providing young dual language learners opportunities to use language in both the spoken and written form …